Red Compass
154 Orchard Street | (212) 473-9100
Even if you don’t know much about Georgian food, chances are you’ve heard of khachapuri, the traditional cheese bread. At Red Compass, located in the former Mission Chinese spot on Orchard, nine different types are served. The first variety (adjaruli khachapuri) mixes tangy housemade salguni cheese, a generous pat of butter, and a barely poached egg inside a “boat” of warm bread. The rest of the menu — fresh salads perked up by coriander and fenugreek, savory dumplings (khinkali) with thick dough, and all sorts of spiced grilled meats — are happily detailed by a helpful staff, although some portions (like the garlicky oven-roasted baby chicken, chkmeruli) fall slightly short of shareable. That’s not the case with the khachapuri, though, or the selection of Georgian wines, some of which sit in a swiveled-lid globe next to the piano. The walls have a fresh coat of pale gray-blue paint, and there are red touches everywhere, from the curtains around the bathroom to the ribbons on the cloth utensil caddies. It’s a pleasant, friendly space that’s perfect for consuming melty, gooey cheese bread. — Mia Leimkuhler